Hand brake for a bicycle

ABSTRACT

A bicycle braking system in which a secondary apparatus is provided which is independent of the primary braking apparatus, for locking the brake in a braked position. The secondary apparatus may be either a means for operating on the linkage between the brake handle and the brake, or means operating directly on the brake.

United States Patent [111 3,55

[72] Inventor Keizo Shimano [56] References Cited Sakai, J p (c/o Shimano Ind y UNITED STATES PATENTS [2]] App] ggf 'ggg 526,317 9/1894 Hendrick m1. 188/26 22 Filed Jan. 29, 1970 FOREIGN PATENTS [45] Patented Jan. 12,197] 149,030 3/1937 Austria 188/26 [32] Priority Apr. 26, 1968 25,175 9/1922 France 188/24 [33] Japan 7 458,827 8/1913 France 188/24 [31] 3543303354331 43 34332 854,374 l/l940 France 188/26 Continuation of application Ser. No. Primary Examiner Geor E A ge .Halvosa 734020, June 3, 1968, now abandoned. Attorney Moomay Kojima [54] HAND BRAKE FOR A BICYCLE 10mm 7 Drawmg Flgs' ABSTRACT: A bicycle braking system in which a secondary [52] U.S.Cl 188/24, apparatus is provided which is independent. of the primary 188/83, 188/ 106 braking apparatus, for locking the brake in a braked position. [51 Int. Cl. B621 3/02 The secondary apparatus may be either a means for operating [50] Field of Search 188/24, 25, on the linkage between the brake handle and the brake, or

26, 106, 83 means operating directly on the brake.

PATENTEnJAMmsn I 31554329 SHEET 1 BF 3 INVENTOF? KEIZO SHIMANO ATT.

PATENTEB JNI I 2 IBTI SHEET 2 UF 3 FIG 3 INVENTOR KEIZO SHIMANO ATT.

PATENTEDJANI2|97I 15541329 sum-aura INVENTOR KEIZO SHIPIANO BY 7 A? AT T.

HAND BRAKE FOR A BICYCLE This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 734,020, filed June 3, 1968, and now abandoned.

' This invention is related to a hand brake for a bicycle devised in such a manner that a cyclist can continue to manipulate it at his option whenever he wants to brake a cycle to a stop or ride dowi. a long sloping road.

Referring to the con ventional types of 'a brake for a bicycle, either a coaster brake or a caliper brake among many others hastbeen in general use. According to these systems, a restora-- ble spring is provided therein sothat when a brake is takenoff after applied, it immediately restores to release" br'akage;

Meanwhile, as it is seen in recent years, most of bicycles are formed very sporty in appearance to such an extent that the supporting leg which used to be provided at both sides rear- Furthermore when he cycles down a slopehe must puto'n' the aforementioned brake while keeping on wheeling with accelerated velocity. Then, once he ceases braking, the brakage is immediately released by means of the restorable spring as has been mentionedlThus he has long tocontinue braking with painstaking effort especially when'wheeling downalong'a very long, incline. Thisrmay on many occasions give rise to the jeopardies that'he fails to manipulate a handleor cycles down" at the increasedspeed'confusedly without braking, at last -to fall down violently or come into collision. v

The present invention primarily aims at disrooting-"thesedeficiencies, having for one of its principal 'objectives'a provision of such an ideal brake that makes it possible'tokeep' a bicycle-securely to a halt interrnediatelyon an incline likea sloping road, and further having for it another object aprovisionof the brake that also enablesa cyclist to continue controlling the speed of the bicycle at safe and equal rate.

. Further object of thetinvention is to proyidewthe brake that 1 has not only the efficiency of the instantaneous haltof the wheeling of a bicyclebut also the aforementionednoble 'effition lies in thatthelabove-mentioned two efficienciescan b'e secured by means of a single brake unit and its noble features" ciency. and yet that can'be economically constructed withfar are as fully comprehended inwhat is claimed in this specifica-; I

tion of the invention. I

Setting forth each FIG. of theacc'ompanied drawings, FIGS;

. I through '3 are illustrative of an embodimentexecuted in'con formity with the present invention and especially:

FIG. 1 shows an outline thereof, t

FIG.;.2 is a. front viewshowingthe principal'elements thereof, a

FIG. 3 is likewise a cross section showing a part'thereof, and

FIGS. 4 through 6 are illustrative of another embodiment of the invention and especially, I

FIG. 4 shows an outline thereof,

FIG. 5 is a front view showing Ithe principal elements thereof,

FIG. 6 is a cross section showing'a part thereof, and

FIG; 7 is a front view delineating a modified formof the em- 1 bodiment shown in FIG.-5.

Firstly, referring to an embodiment of the present invention" especiallywith regard to FIGS. '1 through 3, a bicycle A has 'a rear wheel 1 on which is provided a caliper brakeZ-having a couple of relativelymovable brake rods 3, 3'. Said brakerods 3, 3' respectivelysustain each end of the inner wire 4' and the outer wire 4'-", the other end of said wire 4 being supportedon sustainer mountedon thefixingelementadjacerit'tothe sh t connector shaped peripherally in a circular arc and close to the fixed place of said connector 7 is provided'a fixing loop'B from which an axis 9 laterally protrudes tomovably mount a wire l9 is of flexiblequalityand partlybecaiis'e saidshiftlever ple of wire are-supportedlyc'onnected toasirig "hr shift lever l0. In the edge of said shift lever I0 is provided a forked elern'entlZ formed with snare-shaped notch llktli interval of each forked element 12 being made sm'alle'i tli'ari the length of said connector 7 so that the in'ii'er wire 4' is; inset within this interval. When the shift lever 10 moves; said connector 7 is contacted with the notch 11 of the fofked element 12 and push to' move alerig' the movement mea er, Incidentally, reference numeral 13 designates a sustaine'f of the outer wire 4'', fixed on a part of the tiling loop 8, and reference numeral 14 denotes a dish spring mountedi'ntef mediate the fixing loo'p'8 andth'e shift lever 10 At I5 is shown a male screw so provided toeng'age-withfla femalescrew 2f of the axis 9. v

Thus said dish spring I4is forcedtorno'urit against the portionof the fixing loop 8 by screwing the male screw lsfinto the female screw 21- It is noted thereforethat the shift lever: 10, when moved to a desired position aridthenrelea's'ed, will stay at'a standstill at the point where it has been moved,

' thereby'enabling a cyclist to further'con'tinue manipulating 'ai brake. A washer 16- is provided to functiori'a's a stopper of extra-movement of the'shift'lever'lol 1 Accordingly, the brake of conventional character c'anbe performed that'halt'sthe wheeling of a bicycle on the spot when the'handle lever 6 is clutched withhand', as it jerks the innerwir'e 4' to move the brake-rods 3, 3. In this connection, however, it is understood tha't the shift lever I0is not moved because the connector 7 provided on the inner'wire 4' is moved to the directionseparating from the notch 11 in the forked element- 12 of the'shift lever 10$ Thus brakage can be securedirrespective of the movement of the shift lever Y0.

Meanwhile, when theshift lever 10 is moved, the m xes element 12 is alsomoved alongtherewithf'lhe notch" 11 of this forked-element [2 comes into contact'with the connector7 whereby the latter isforciblytransferred to jerk the inner wire 4' and as a result thebrake rods 3, 3' are moved to operatethe caliper brake 2. Though the portion of the wire 4 e'xtendin'g' within' the handle lever'6 is madeslackened at-this moment, yet it gives'no impedi'ment to the"rnanip'ula'tion of the" shift lever 10 partly because the latter is to be 'manipulated'w'hena' bicycleis ata halt; and partly because the slackened portion is" to be'strained back-by dint of the restorable spring-when theshift lever 10*is released.

embodimentof the invention, the features 'defiiiiteIy criminatingthis from'the preceding embodiment is th at and eachpieceof wire is to be manipulated each different shift lever; Namely, this single wire 4-connected to the handle level 6 is tionwith the sustainersl8, I8 fitted *on the-brisk ads and on the end of-said sustainers 18, 18", that ferent' from each'supporting portidn of*said ir' ported each end 'of the inner wire 19' andtheouter wr of the other- 'wire 19 that" said wire 4'."The other inner wit-e19 is connectedto a portion-of the 'sli movably mounted on the top tube '20 of a bicycle of thefixin'g l0op'8, and said outer wire 19 issus' lever 10.

Accordingly; the brake; of conventional charactet 'ca" performed-that haltsa bicycle on the spot whenth 'ha lever 6'is clutched with hand, as "it jerksthe 'inner wii" 4"t move the brake rods 3, 3'. It is unders'tood'in' this that another wire 19 is m'adeslackened at this mo does not work to r'novethe shift lever 10' partly'bec is loaded with a power of resistance against movement. On the other hand, if the shift lever 10 is moved, the wire 19 which is different from said wire 4 is to be jerked to operate the brake rods 3, 3, just as in the aforementioned manner, whereby brakage is to be performed. However, the movement of this shift lever 10 is loaded with a greater power than the resisting force of the restcrable spring 22 of the brake rods 3, 3' and therefore the inner wire 19 pulled by means of the movement of the shift lever 10 cannot be pulled back even after the lever is released, and as a result complete brakage can be maintained. In the meanwhile, the wire 4 is likewise made slackened at this moment, but the handle lever 6 sustaining the other end of the wire 4 is not provided with a fixing element to work to stop the movement of the wire 4. Thus, even though this handle lever 6 is transferred along therewith, yet it is pulled back to its original position by action of the restorable spring 22 when the shift lever 10 is pulled back and consequently there remains a slack of the wire 4 which otherwise is an impediment to its movement.

Referring further to another embodiment of the invention with reference to FIG. 7 of the accompanied drawings, this is a modified form of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, wherein a couple of wire are supported in connection with a single brake unit and each wire is so provided as to be moved by means of each different shift lever, just as has been explained in respect of FIGS. 4 thru 6. The discriminating features of this embodiment is that each connecting portion of the wire is provided respectively in said sustainers l8, l8 and also another sustainers 23, 23' provided in the place different from that of said sustainers 18, 18'. That is to say, with the coupling axis 17 of the brake rods 3, 3' as a center, the sustainers 23, 23 protrude from the brake rods 3, 3' almost in symmetrized form with the sustainers 18, 18' and the wire 4 is connected to the sustainers 18, 18' and the wire 19 is to be sustainers 23, 23'.

According to the present invention, it is clearly noted that by means of a single brake unit it is quite possible to secure the efficiency of the instantaneous halt of the wheeling of a bicycle by utilizing the wire of the brake and at the same time it is also possible to maintain the brakage for many hours successively by utilizing both the brake rods and the sustainers thereof. From this it is concluded that a cyclist while wheeling on is able to not only brake his bicycle to a stop in a moment but also park it safely on an incline like a sloping road by completely braking even if it is supported by a single supporting leg, and that when wheeling down along a very long incline, he is also able to successively maintain a desired brakage by only one process of manipulation of a brake without further need of continuously grasping the brake lever of the handle which otherwise he has generally to do; consequently he is able to handle a bicycle with much ease and security.

The last but not the least is that no brake unit of any special type is applied for the purpose of securing the successive maintenance of a desired brakage in accordance with the present invention, but so improved used is merely made of the existing brake unit that it can be constructed in a very simple manner and at a very low cost.

It should be noted that all the embodiments disclosed in the specification and the accompanied drawings of this invention are not altogether restricted within themselves, but what have been defined therein are only illustrative of some purviews of the invention.

lclaim:

1. In a brake system for a bicycle having a frame and at least one wheel rotatably mounted on said frame and comprising;

I. handle bar means mounted on said frame;

2. handle lever means pivotally mounted on said handle bar means;

3. brake rods mounted to frictionally contact said wheel to stop rotation thereof;

4. spring means to hold said brake rods normally free of contact from said wheel; and 5. flexible cable means interconnecting said handle lever means and said brake rods whereby movement of said handle lever means causes movement of said brake rods to cause said brake rods to contact said wheel against pressure of said spring means; the combination comprismg,

A. holder means affixed to said frame, comprising 1. a body held about said frame,

2. shaft means projecting from said body,

3. pressure plate positioned on said shaft means and against said body, and

4. adjustable screw means located at the free end of said shaft means;

B. main lever means independent of said handle means rotatably mounted toward one end thereof on said shaft means between said pressure plate and said adjustable screw means, means defining a passage at said one end for inserting said cable means, said screw means being suitable tightened so that said pressure plate will place a pressure against said main lever means sufficient to hold said main lever means in any position against pressure exerted on said cable means by said spring means and by movement of said wheel against said brake rods; and

C. knob means attached to said cable means in the vicinity of said one end of said main lever means, said one end being shaped such that rotation of said main lever means will move said knob means rotatably about said shaft means together with said one end,

whereby said cable means is caused to move said brake rods against pressure from said spring means and thereby to cause contact of said brake rods against said wheel, and

whereby pressure from said pressure plate will hold said main lever means in the resulting position thereby to hold said brake rods in said contacted position and thus enable coasting and parking. 

1. In a brake system for a bicycle having a frame and at least one wheel rotatably mounted on said frame and comprising;
 1. handle bar means mounted on said frame;
 2. handle lever means pivotally mounted on said handle bar means;
 3. brake rods mounted to frictionally contact said wheel to stop rotation thereof;
 4. spring means to hold said brake rods normally free of contact from said wheel; and
 5. flexible cable means interconnecting said handle lever means and said brake rods whereby movement of said handle lever means causes movement of said brake rods to cause said brake rods to contact said wheel against pressure of said spring means; the combination comprising, A. holder means affixed to said frame, comprising
 1. a body held about said frame,
 2. shaft means projecting from said body,
 3. pressure plate positioned on said shaft means and against said body, and
 4. adjustable screw means located at the free end of said shaft means; B. main lever means independent of said handle means rotatably mounted toward one end thereof on said shaft means between said pressure plate and said adjustable screw means, means defining a passage at said one end for inserting said cable means, said screw means being suitable tightened so that said pressure plate will place a pressure against said main lever means sufficient to hold said main lever means in any position against pressure exerted on said cable means by said spring means and by movement of said wheel against said brake rods; and C. knob means attached to said cable means in the vicinity of said one end of said main lever means, said one end being shaped such that rotation of said main lever means will move said knob means rotatably about said shaft means together with said one end, whereby said cable means is caused to move said brake rods against pressure from said spring means and thereby to cause contact of said brake rods against said wheel, and whereby pressure from said pressure plate will hold said main lever means in the resulting position thereby to hold said brake rods in said contacted position and thus enable coasting and parking.
 2. handle lever means pivotally mounted on said handle bar means;
 2. shaft means projecting from said body,
 3. pressure plate positioned on said shaft means and against said body, and
 3. brake rods mounted to frictionally contact said wheel to stop rotation thereof;
 4. spring means to hold said brake rods normally free of contact from said wheel; and
 4. adjustable screw means located at the free end of said shaft means; B. main lever means independent of said handle means rotatably mounted toward one end thereof on said shaft means between said pressure plate and said adjustable screw means, means defining a passage at said one end for inserting said cable means, said screw means being suitable tightened so that said pressure plate will place a pressure against said main lever means sufficient to hold said main lever means in any position against pressure exerted on said cable means by said spring means and by movement of said wheel against said brake rods; and C. knob means attached to said cable means in the vicinity of said one end of said main lever means, said one end being shaped such that rotation of said main lever means will move said knob means rotatably about said shaft means together with said one end, whereby said cable means is caused to move said brake rods against pressure from said spring means and thereby to cause contact of said brake rods against said wheel, and whereby pressure from said pressure plate will hold said main lever means in the resulting position thereby to hold said brake rods in said contacted position and thus enable coasting and parking.
 5. flexible cable means interconnecting said handle lever means and said brake rods whereby movement of said handle lever means causes movement of said brake rods to cause said brake rods to contact said wheel against pressure of said spring means; the combination comprising, A. holder means affixed to said frame, comprising 